


Wait For me

by UniquelyQueer_67



Series: Historical Context is Key [2]
Category: Merlin (TV)
Genre: Angst, Canonical Character Death, Emotional Hurt, Everything Hurts, Ficlet, Gen, How Do I Tag, Hurt, Post-Season/Series 05 Finale, Prequel, halp, merthur if you squint
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-01-23
Updated: 2019-01-23
Packaged: 2019-10-14 23:49:06
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Major Character Death
Chapters: 1
Words: 846
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/17518166
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/UniquelyQueer_67/pseuds/UniquelyQueer_67
Summary: A prequel to my 19k fic "Time Heals All Wounds". You don't need to have read that to read this one, in fact, I think it's a relatively good setup. I suppose you could read this as a stand alone too, but it's super short so???





	Wait For me

Merlin tried not to focus on his poor choice of words as he trudged the dead-weight of Arthur Pendragon towards the lake of Avalon. He prepared a boat, placing each piece of wood delicately and organising Arthur's cape just so. He still felt sick looking into that pasty, pale complexion. It was a horrible niggling reminder in the back of his mind,  _he's dead_.

He pushed the vessel out into the waters, the cool liquid lapping at his calves. Closing his eyes, he whispered the spell to set the boat alight. Hearing no flame, Merlin looked up from where he stood, to the boat. Staggering in the current of the water, Merlin let out a harsh gasp. He had never seen anything like it, anyone like  _her_.

In the centre of the lake, where the wooden boat containing Arthur's...body floated, was a woman of skin as blue as winter berries, and a face as cold as the watery depths from which she had presumably emerged. She had one delicate hand resting upon the boat, as she looked blankly into the face of the fallen king. Merlin was only just taking in the crown sitting atop her head when she spoke to him.

"He is dead." Merlin felt his breath catch in his throat, and he gulped back bile before replying,

"I wish he weren't." the being looked from Arthur, to Merlin. The warlock felt shivers creep up his spine at her chilling stare and he realised, this was a member of the Sidhe. He didn't know how he knew, she was much too big and possessed no wings, but the magic emanating from her was ancient and powerful. Her voice held no tone, not even bitterness, it was a hum of indifference that made Merlin pour his heart out.

"Why?"

"Because he is too important to me."

"But not Camelot."

"Not in this moment. In this moment, he is not King Arthur. In his final moments he ceased to be my master, he was my closest and most trusted friend. Please, Killgarrah promised that he would return, is there something you can do?" the being looked satisfied with Merlin's explanation, and engaged Merlin once more.

"Yes." Merlin lit up inside.

"Please! Tell me!" he started to paddle back into the water on his knees, soaked to the hem of his tunic.

"We can hold him for you; preserve his soul. But as for his return, that is on the terms of the Queen of the Sidhe, and her alone."

"Who is she?"

"I am she."

"How long will you hold him? Albion will always need him, please, your grace!"

"His return will be on the terms of the Queen of the Sidhe, and her alone."

"Yes, I know, but how long!?"

"His return will be on the terms of th-"

"Please!" the queen began to descend back into the depths of the lake, the boat still in her grasp, a wet shade of Pendragon red the last thing he saw before Arthur was fully submerged. Merlin swam for them, frantically paddling through the icy waters, gargling pleas between breaths. As he neared the centre of the lake, the water began to glow and bubble with magic. Merlin reached out, mere feet from the spot, struggling against the water. Suddenly, a figure burst forth from the depths with hair blonde as a golden crown and eyes blue as a warm summer day. He didn't even notice Merlin as he gasped for breath. Just then, the Sidhe queen pushed her hard fingers into Arthur's hair. The two men met eyes for a fraction of a moment before Arthur was yanked back under the waters.

" _ARTHUR!!"_

Merlin dived under the water, but found nothing but sludge and murky depths. He resurfaced and began frantically searching different parts of the lake, when a monotonous voice pierced his harsh breaths and splashing of hands.

 _"The Immortal One will have patience. For patience will bring reward."_ it echoed like a mantra in his head for ten minutes as the warlock continued his desperate searching, until it morphed into a much louder, much more demanding message.

" _Patience. Patience. Patience. Patience. Patience. Patience. Patience. Patience."_ Merlin roared out his anguish at the sharp pain in his skull, urging him to  _get out of the water, swim away, Merlin._

In great pain and exhausted from his exertions, Merlin kicked and paddled his way desperately back to shore.

"Make it stop, make it stop, _make it stop!"_   as the warlock's aching body hit the shore of the lake of Avalon, his head ceased to sear with pain. Instead, the call got louder, he was too close to the lake, he needed to  _get away._

 

 

 

> _Patience._
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> _Patience. Patience. Patience. Patience. Patience. Patience. Patience. Patience. Patience. Patience. Patience. Patience. Patience. Patience. Patience. Patience. Patience. Patience. Patience. Patience. Patience. Patience. Patience. Patience. Patience. Patience. Patience. Patience. Patience. Patience. Patience. Patience. Patience. Patience. Patience. Patience. Patience. Patience. Patience. Patience. Patience. Patience. Patience. Patience. Patience. Patience. Patience. Patience. Patience. Patience. Patience. Patience. Patience. Patience._

**Author's Note:**

> If you haven't already, PLEASE read THAW, I worked really hard on it and would appreciate every critique and comment <3 <3 <3


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